becoming a pharmacist technician PLEASE HELP!

john in Eden Prairie, Minnesota said: honestly...Youll never be a pharmacy tech...but it never
hurts to apply, do not let that hold you up...you already
know what the answer is going to be anyway...

Even if pharmacy techs were in the shortest demand on this planet,
you would never be hired because of your record. I have been
to school, I have no record, and ive been looking for nearly 2
years for a pharmacy tech job.

LOL , what a douche bag, you can tell this person is going off with a chip on her shoulder. The fact of the matter is, if its been a while they prolly wont be able to pull it up. aLOT OF RECORDS GO BACK about 7 years or so. I know people that are doctors that have been locked up in jail and been in gangs. These people all live in california by the way.

anti-douch bag in Nyack, New York said: LOL , what a douche bag, you can tell this person is going off with a chip on her shoulder. The fact of the matter is, if its been a while they prolly wont be able to pull it up. aLOT OF RECORDS GO BACK about 7 years or so. I know people that are doctors that have been locked up in jail and been in gangs. These people all live in california by the way.

tell the truth, you wont get hired, if you lie and get caught, then you get fired. so what about 7 years, records
these days are on kept on computer, and it really depends on how in depth a company wants to go in order to cross reference, if they want MVR, etc...really depends on how
far the employer wants to go with this...

I WILL BE TAKING THE CPT TEST NEXT MONTH AND WAS WONDERING IF ANYONE HAS TAKING THE TEST AT A PEARSON TESTING CENTER BEFORE BY REGISTERING FOR IT THROUGH THE PCTB WEBSITE THE COST WAS 129.00 ANY INSITE ON THIS WILL BE VERY HELPFUL... WHAT EXACTLY SHOULD I EXPECT!!!

hi
i have completed 4 year course of Bachelor in Pharmacy form INDIA and right now i m persuing my MS in Health careadministration in USA
can i work as a part time in Pharmacy store as Pharmacy technician
if yes
can anybody tell me the procedure
or is there any other way to enter in the Pharmacy store

rachel in Claremont, New Hampshire said: I am interested in becoming a pharmacist technician.I was told you have to good at math and science? is that true? and could somebody tell me what I would be doing during training and what i would be doin when I do get a job???!!!

hello how are you. The math that you have to do is not that hard, you just have to double check for accuracy, but it is rewarding especialluy if you like to learn about anything that has to do with health. Most will hire you as a cashier and you then work your way up, and mostcompanies will pay for your test after one year of constant work.

JoAnn in Houston, Texas said: Im thinking about taking the online course for PT with University of Phoenix. Truthfully....is it harder online than it is in a classroom? And is it somewhat difficult to actually get a job once done with the course?

DON'T GO TO UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX, ITS A WASTE OF MONEYYYY!!!!! YOUR GOIIN TO SPEND THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF MONEY JUST TO MAKE 10-16 DOLLARS AN HRS. GO TO LOCAL COMMUNITYCOLLEGE, I'M TELLING YOU, YOU'LL BE SAVING ALOT OF MONEY, F**ck ALL THESE ONLINE DEGREE AND PROGRAMS, THEY JUST WANT YOUR MONEY! Just find a community college, you'll be done in 2 semesters!

Yersalem in Fresno, California said: DON'T GO TO UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX, ITS A WASTE OF MONEYYYY!!!!! YOUR GOIIN TO SPEND THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF MONEY JUST TO MAKE 10-16 DOLLARS AN HRS. GO TO LOCAL COMMUNITYCOLLEGE, I'M TELLING YOU, YOU'LL BE SAVING ALOT OF MONEY, F**ck ALL THESE ONLINE DEGREE AND PROGRAMS, THEY JUST WANT YOUR MONEY! Just find a community college, you'll be done in 2 semesters!

The thing with all college is to know if the institution is "REGIONALLY" or "NATIONALLY" accredited. National is the broadest and therefore the weakest accreditation available and the least likely to have transferable credits. Regional accreditation is by geographic spread (North, East, North East…) and similar.

Harvard, MIT, Baylor, A&M and most state schools are going to have "regionally" accreditation.

A good portion of their undergrad credits will transfer.

But each college wants your degree to reflect "their" class/catalog. This is why you don't want to change majors or leave one school for another in your junior or senior year.

The exception to this rule is USUALLY the 2-year community college. They USUALLY have two-by-two programs. These programs give you an associates "degree" and the ability to transfer into a state or private college with the least amount of risk of lost credits.

Univ of Phoenix is the largest privately held college in the country. At one time they maintained a regional accreditation for each state. They know the accreditation process hands down. They set the bar high, too. They want to minimize future competition doing this.

Now – would your target company approve of this degree? It is all very subjective. I have customers who insist on classroom based learning because their bias is toward face-time with other humans and their perception that is improves communication. I have other clients who have gone “green” who insist on on-line education to save time, money, and green house gases.

I was wondering if going to get my PT certification is worth going for if I wanted to become a Pharmacist? Would it give me a better chance at getting into Pharm school? Should I spend the money and get the certification?

1rxguy in Jackson, Tennessee said: I'm enrolled in Pharm Tech School right now. You have to be good in math and science to pass the certification test. That is if you are goin to be a Certified Pharmacy Tech. You will be mixing doses of medications, putting warning labels on the medicine bottles, taking orders, filling prescriptions and alot of other things. You have a choice to work in local pharmacies or hospital pharmacies. You also need to be pretty good at keyboarding and reading. You will have to learn the top 200 drugs and their generic forms. You will also be learning what medicines interact with others and what you should or should not be taking with medications. I know it sounds like alot and sounds hard, but if you apply yourself and this is what you want to do then it really is not that bad. With the right teacher the class can be fun and exciting.

Jennifer Koch in Denver, Colorado said: I was wondering if going to get my PT certification is worth going for if I wanted to become a Pharmacist? Would it give me a better chance at getting into Pharm school? Should I spend the money and get the certification?

No! There is not benefit in starting a tech program if the goal is being a Pharmacist. People who are serious about a profession are hanging out with people in the profession and reading the same types of things the professionals read. These two behaviors are where you can search for what your passion or interests really are.

If you want to figure out whether or not you want to be a Pharmacist by going into a tech program - your lack of certainty indicates you may not be seriously consider this profession as a career.

If you want to be a tech – sometimes it is so much easier to go as the cashier and wait on the next “tech” opening. A lot of people are moving into medicine and this will increase the competition and drive the compensation downward a bit in the long run.

Pharmacy is a great career path - but you have to develop the necessary skills and tactics that enable you to be successful in the different programs required to become a pharmacist.

Jennifer Koch in Denver, Colorado said: I was wondering if going to get my PT certification is worth going for if I wanted to become a Pharmacist? Would it give me a better chance at getting into Pharm school? Should I spend the money and get the certification?

I'm a Pre-Pharmacy major, and I have made friends with students in the school, and professors as well, and they all HIGHLY recommend pharmacy esperience, however you want to get it. PTech jobs are good because you can also find good hours while still in college, and maybe get offered jobs, recommendations, and other advantages.
I'm a PT in CT @ CVS....trained on the job with ZERO prior experience. Dont waste time goin to school,...especially if your a Pharmacy major.
PT jobs realy make you honest about your intentions as far as a career as a Pharmacist

We are recruiting for pharmacist. Having the PT Certification never comes up in the job interview/review process. That said - being in the pharmacy as much as possible while going to school to become a pharmacist - is a great idea. Know your environment. Retail will be a very different experience from a medical facility (nursing home) than a hospital. If the manager or pharmacist you work with/for "know" you are a pharmacy major and active and doing well in school - they will not require you to get certified for the PT slot and you can make some cash and get raises.

rachel in Claremont, New Hampshire said: I am interested in becoming a pharmacist technician.I was told you have to good at math and science? is that true? and could somebody tell me what I would be doing during training and what i would be doin when I do get a job???!!!

I worked for 13+ years as a pharmacy technician in the veterinary field. If all you desire is working at a retail pharmacy, I suspect that the most challenging part of the job would be reading physicians' handwriting or maybe identifying payment plans (computerdata retrieval & entry). You will probably cashier, maybe tab warnings to medicines, count. Of course, you COULD learn to compound medicines & then there are IV doses (which I did regulary) . . . which require knowledge of sterile field & medical calculations. It is a flooded field w/pay dropping all the time.

esha in annapolis, Maryland said: I am currently enrolled in a pharmacy tech course but my math is not the greatest. My instructor told me dont worry he can teach me calculations,dosages etc. How do I prepare my myself ahead of time for the national exam? Does any one know if its alot of math on national exam pctb or NHA exams? I want to get into the field because of the flexible hours.Can anyone help me? Do you know of any preview exam books that I can retrieve from book store? thanks esha email: m.crosby21@verizon.net

I just took the NHA exam and some questions were very easy. Its a 100 question test and multiple choice. You do get to use calculators and scratch paper fopr the math. I would suggest you study conversions like so many liters in how many? There are also a lot of questions about pharmacy laws. Brush up on them. Dont wory about generic or brand name drugs. I wasted my time studying that and not one queastion was on about that.

Maheshwar in Bombay, India said: I have completed my Diploma in pharmacy after Intermediate (10+2 Equivalent with Biology, Physics, Chemistry)in India. Can I eligible to work as a pharmacy technician in USA?. If not, please give details.

Im not sure how the rules are for international certification. With your education you should go ahead and purse your career as a pharmacist. Pharmacy tech jobs are for those of us who messed around when we were younger or are/were too lazy to go to college.

I wanted to know do you have to memories the, "Drug manufacturer, generic name, use, brand name, & used medical abbreviations" to pass the PCTB to become a Pharmacist Technician? Or what can I omit from memory?

john in Eden Prairie, Minnesota said: honestly...Youll never be a pharmacy tech...but it never
hurts to apply, do not let that hold you up...you already
know what the answer is going to be anyway...

Even if pharmacy techs were in the shortest demand on this planet,
you would never be hired because of your record. I have been
to school, I have no record, and ive been looking for nearly 2
years for a pharmacy tech job.

OK that is crazy you should consider geting your mis d charges or what ever may be on your record Expunged This may alllow you to Qualify also anothor thing is you really need to go out and get it . If you know what that means dont let any charges come in your way of your future .1# get a attorney to check your background now this may cost$ but hey its your future So who ever told you not to Be a phar.tech forget them .Just Do you !!!!
Boriqua Advise

rachel in Claremont, New Hampshire said: I am interested in becoming a pharmacist technician.I was told you have to good at math and science? is that true? and could somebody tell me what I would be doing during training and what i would be doin when I do get a job???!!!

I recently just finished the pharmacy tech. program and became certified in dec. I will be honest with you it helps to a good memory of some of the math, but I can also tell you I have been out of high school for over 12 years now and I am no math whiz. You just have to concentrate and get extra help if you need it. It really isn't that difficult. I made it seem harder than what it was. I always told myself I can't learn this before I even tried...ha ha! I got through it though. it was my lowest grade..so much for all those A's, because one big fat C really stands out- ha ha! as far as science...that is overated. the program is really not difficult. learning the drugs is important and I did best at that. I loved pharmacology!! good luck hope this helps.

Lori Ranee in West Decatur, Pennsylvania said: I recently just finished the pharmacy tech. program and became certified in dec. I will be honest with you it helps to have a good memory of some of the math, but I can also tell you I have been out of high school for over 12 years now and I am no math whiz. You just have to concentrate and get extra help if you need it. It really isn't that difficult. I made it seem harder than what it was. I always told myself I can't learn this before I even tried...ha ha! I got through it though. it was my lowest grade..so much for all those A's, because one big fat C really stands out- ha ha! as far as science...that is overated. the program is really not difficult. learning the drugs is important and I did best at that. I loved pharmacology!! as far as training at my school we practiced filling meds. pretend of course, we practiced drawing up solutions from vials and inserting into iv bags...also we learned how to calculate for final concentration of a drug...calculated dose ordered over dose available. depending on where you get a job..you will assist in filling meds. entering data in computer..waiting on customers. one thing we are told we cannot do is counsel the patients though. the pharmacist has to do that, so we cannot answer questions about side effects, etc...etc.. of course in hospital theres so much more to do. in retail it is a matter of filling prescriptions under supervision of pharmacist and customer service. in hospital it's that plus iv's and so much more. hospital of course pays more too. I hope this info. helps you and good luck. i feel I have rambled on enough-lol.

My answer to you is Yes! in order to become a pharmacy technician, as far as I know, you will probably need to take pharmacy technician course and pharmacy calculation course. But, you really don't have to be math savvy..as long as you are comfortable with calculator. More info, www.pharmacytrainingonline.com/

angela in Everett, Washington said: I am currently enrolled in Penn Foster. I am having trouble learning the name brand and generic. Any tips on learning all of those.

I have to say build vocabulary take 20 medication a week find the brand generic use and classification. also take the medication and break it down and use affiliation words that will work for you. I also graduated from penn foster 2001 now Im an instructor.

Ok,i really need advice cause im a little bit worried here, I am 24 years old, when i was 21 I got a DUI and got it reduced to like driving while impaired,( not much better) just cost a little less to pay off, anyways after i got into trouble i got my crap together and got into school, I am about to get my associates in pharmacy technology and i am interning at a hospital, they say they might hire me but they do not know about my dui, I want to apply but Im scared im going to get in denied:(, i wont lie about it, but i really need to know, to what depth has this dui affected my life in the medical field? I will be applying to a pharmacy school in a couple years and plan on pursuing a career in pharmacy, but i am nervous i just wonder if anyways been in my stupid shoes and has any advice for me. its been 3 years for the dui,I am taking my certification exam in like a couple days too.

EB in Louisville, Kentucky said: Wow VRose, sounds like you got into a bad environment. I became a certified pharmacy tech while working as a Facility Manager. I hated working in facilities; that was stressful. I enjoy working as a tech now. I had my certification for about a year before I actually started working as a tech. I work in an institutional care facility for the mentally retarded. I find it very rewarding. Not only do I pull daily meds, but I make IVs and compound something almost every day.

I don't think retail would be a good environment for me... plus retail pay is not as good as institutional or hospital. Most institutional care facilities and hospitals want certified techs, though.

Angela, ss far as learning generic vs. name brands... flash cards are a great idea, but get a friend to quiz you too. Read all the labels on your personal meds. It's not as daunting as you think... good luck.

What should one expect from working at a hospital, as compared to working in retail? Do you not have to deal with patients asking you why their insurance didn't pay for their meds? I'm really curious. Thanks ahead.

are you going into a hospital or retail (cvs or rite aide)?
If your in the hospital as part of your rotation, they will put you in inpatient, basically you will be filling these cartons with daily drugs that will be used by the patient (aka unit dosing,) there will be a prescription printed up with what goes with what and it shouldn't be too difficult to find the drugs, they should all be arranged in alphabetical order according to the generic on shelves. You may also go on "runs" with a tech, and they will show you where to drop off the unit dose carts or exchange them. You will also learn how to make I.Vs, this is pretty cool just make sure you pay close attention and don't accidentally stab your self with a needle, this usually happens when people try to recap the needle that they are about to throw away. the math is pretty is easy to figure out what you need to do, just make sure your aseptic technique is down.
When you go to outpatient, this may be the most busiest, to me it was closer to retail than anything else, basically you will be filling up to 3 months of rxs pre patient so you will be dispensing prescription that can have 100 capsules to 380 or more capsules, ( i saw this a lot with patients on neurontin ( gabapentin) make sure when you give a patient an rx that the names match, many times pharmacies can get many patients with the same last name and its lawsuit if you mix em up. Just be careful pay attention and don't be afraid to ask questions
good luck!

If one applies for the Pharmacy Tech position at CVS or Walgreens, will they hire you with no experience and no training and then train you to become a PT? If so, after completion of training and gaining experience is it possible to become a PT somewhere else (like a hospital or different store) and not re-train? Thanks.

yes absolutely, but the pay is crap in retail if your not certified, or if you are, most hospitals prefer you to be certified with at least 2 years experience in retail.
i just took my certification test today and passed :D!

Hello my name is Chappell Collins. I am a college student currently..while i was in high school i was enrolled in an vocational center training in the area of an pharmacy tech i also had many jobs working as an Pharmacy Tech. and now i am trying to become an certified tech. I would like to know how do i go about doing so..i really need help with this..

absolutely, if you go to ptcb.com or .org you can purchase some practice exams online, however the actual test consists of 120 questions and the practice tests are only 25 questions apiece and they cost like 30 dollars,
honestly what you really need to know is the top 100 drugs, the pharmacy math ( which is pretty simple) and pharmacy laws and rules such as obra 90 and hippaa stuff, you will pass it with flying colors.
I took the program because they teach you so much more in dept about the medications. I plan on going into pharmacy school and I just wanted to make sure i learned as much as i could, but if you just want to get a better job and you have work experience than just follow the site.

michele in Grand Rapids, Michigan said: hi, i've just recently become a pham Tech. and i was wondering, does anyone knows of ways that i could improve on typing prescriptions, as in solution forms, eye drops the more complicated ones that i have to figure out and stuff? I know the basic ones as in capsules and tablets but that's it.

Also another thing is i need help on insurance plan IDs. That's hard to look at. Is there any practice out there that i could use to help me?

Thanks a lot.

Michell,

Live in New Baltimore Michigan, and wanted to know if you had job placement when you went to school and if you enjoy doing this or have any regrets. Thinking about starting school for Pharm Tech. Any advice and or comments i would appreciate.

i am interested in being a pharmacist or a pharmacy technician. i know i am capable of becoming a pharmacy technician but is the pay worth it? i really want to be a pharmacist but i'm worried about all the math because quite frankly i'm pretty bad at math. plus how much schooling does it take to be a pharmacist?

also, if you have done an internship at a pharmacy before, what was that like? i'm considering working in a pharmacy after i get out of high school this year to know for sure or not if pharmacy is right for me.

alexandria in Keller, Texas said: i am interested in being a pharmacist or a pharmacy technician. i know i am capable of becoming a pharmacy technician but is the pay worth it? i really want to be a pharmacist but i'm worried about all the math because quite frankly i'm pretty bad at math. plus how much schooling does it take to be a pharmacist?

also, if you have done an internship at a pharmacy before, what was that like? i'm considering working in a pharmacy after i get out of high school this year to know for sure or not if pharmacy is right for me.

how good is your chemistry? look up pharm. schools in your area and see what they look for. 6 yrs in school is what you will be looking at. I don't know what schools are like in Texas though ! go to a local pharamcy and talk to the pharamcist. You will be more likely to get a job at a pharmacy if you are actually a pharmacy student especially a chain/retail because if they like you they'll want to hire you as a pharmacist.

i went to a 14 month program school and am almost done with my A.s degree in pharmacy technology so ive learned both the hospital setting and retail, but i have a dui from 2007 of january, a misdmeanor so i was wondering if i could still get licensed???

George in Torrance, California said: Learning how to be a tech and having the knowledge to be a tech depends on the school you go to. for ex> in southern california theres hundreds of pharmacy tech schools that you can go to, bryman (which is now everest) american career college, basically schools that offers pharmacy tech course that YOU SEE ON COMMERCIALS are usually the best ones. unlike those schools that are advertised on flea market catalogs, trust me you do not want to go to those schools, telling you that from first hand experience. but other than that math are easy. dosage calculations ex:metaphor.(500 bottles of beers on the wall, you need to drink atleast 20 beers a day, how many days will it take to drink all 500 bottles of beers on the wall!) are easy! devisions devisions devisions and cross multiplication which usually ends up to be devision in the end.! well i just finished my pharm tech course at a cheap college, its so ghetto, and those 8 months went by so fast. i feel as though i have learned nothing but when i stepped into a clinic pharmacy today for my externship, everything just came back to me. all those knowledge of drugs (legal) math that was hidden deep beneath this hard headed brain of mine, went to surface like a whale surfacing beaneath the ocean for a breath of air. anyways, it was real easy, the pharmacist are there to protect and serve she is the guidebook that you failed to read that will answer all your questions and guide you to be a good pharm tech, one bit of advice KNOW YOUR TOP 200 DRUGS GENERICS AND BRAND! if you learn all that before you work! its like being the richest person on the poorest place! well im tired and sleepy GOOD LUCK TO ALL THE PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO WANTS TO PURSUE A CAREER AS A PHARMACY TECHNICIAN.! JUST DO YOUR BEST!.

I really want to be a pharmacy tech.I'm really nerveous about the math.Many say you have to know college math.I never went to college.With 2 kidds and no job, I need a career.

apply at any local cvs, they will train you for a pharmacy tech job. Don't go to a pharmacy tech school, all they do is take your money, then your stick you with the hefty bill you have to pay,without so much as getting you a pharmacy tech job lead. Everyone and his mother is out for this job, meaning there arent any jobs available, I would highly recommend something else, nursing? It pays a lot more, and you hardly do any math. Ive been a tech for 20 years, and am changing my vocation,to nursing due to this recession. If you still want to pursue the pharmacy tech career apply at any retail pharmacys and they will train you.

I've been a pharm tech for over 12 years. I have experience in adult and the majority in a pediatric hospital pharmacy. I would recommend going to a reputable pharmacy technician school. Then apply to a hospital pharmacy to get into the door. In my honest opinion, I feel you should stay away retail pharmacies. Unless you like irate old people yelling at you for things you have no control over. In a hospital pharmacy you have the option of applying in other departments. In addition if you should want to change jobs all hospitals have some type of employee education reimbursement program available to everyone. I hope this helps you.

I believe you have your skill and knowledge to get your favorite job in the field you like most. In the current market, everyone all knows the competitive atmosphere of more applicants apply for less opening positions. During the time you can get a right one, you can start some comfortable job as your own business without a lot of money and time to investment, but you also make an great opportunity of money. How can you do that? If you are serious about making money, please contact me by email: vinhsdream@shaklee.net

Best wishes,

Vinh Hoang

Ok Vinh, i am very interesting of what you're offering to brand new PT student here...contact me via email whenever you get a chance pls: Tina Dang Gesualdo > tina.gesualdo@yahoo.com

Crystal Ricard in Havana, Florida said: I'm also at Penn Foster taking PT classes, I was wondering if u r at the career school or the college, and does it matter.

Hello all,

I just finished PT online with PennFoster as well, waiting for them to send my DIPLOMA, and starting to look for externship to work so i can fulfil the requirement to take PTCB test, i don't know if that's true or not, any comments and suggestions, would really appreciate it :)

I just finished PT online with PennFoster as well, waiting for them to send my DIPLOMA, and starting to look for externship to work so i can fulfil the requirement to take PTCB test, i don't know if that's true or not, any comments and suggestions, would really appreciate it :)

I finished my pt with pennfoster also but Im looking for work experience. Not sure where to apply.

Hi...I'm thinking about going into Pharmacy tech. It seems like there are two sides to the major. Some said that it is hard, some said that it is easy. Do anyone know any website I can ask about pharmacy tech? Thanks I would appreciate it.

i have a dui thats 3 years old, its dumb i was dumb ect but im certified and just placed a job at a walgreens pharmacy, its not illegal to have a dui, they will make you take a drug test but that incident is very common, i mean there are practicing doctors out there with multiple dui's so dont let it get you down. I got hired i just never made the same mistake again and its not the end of the world